Southbridge Town Council approves plan to sell industrial land

Town councilors gave unanimous approval Monday to a request for bids for the sale of more than an acre of industrial park land on two parcels on Commercial Drive.

It is presumed that landfill operator Casella Waste Systems would acquire the land.

In a second vote, the council approved a “common goals” letter with Casella aimed at optimizing the existing landfill footprint. It provides for the potential to add additional space for depositing waste into Barefoot Road, which would be abandoned as a public way under the agreement.

With regard to the sale of the acre, Casella has committed to pay about $285,000 for something valued at $150,000, Town Manager Christopher Clark said.

Casella or the winning bidder will be required to build a road extension that connects H. Foote Road to Commercial Drive for an estimated $200,000. The town wants the roadway extension to improve access to 30 acres of industrial park land.

The common goals letter calls for the two sides to develop a master plan for planning purposes, the manager said.

In addition, the town would get 50 percent of the value of the sale of landfill gas.

Under the existing contract the town gets 10 percent of the value of waste sold by Casella to generate electricity, Mr. Clark said.

Discontinuing Barefoot Road as a public road could yield 206,000 cubic yards of additional “air space” for Casella to use to make the best use of the existing landfill footprint, officials said.

That additional space is expected to add about a year to the life of the landfill and generate revenue of more than $10 million, officials said.

There was lengthy debate about whether the vote opened the door to Casella seeking a physical expansion of the landfill.

Chairwoman Catherine E. Nikolla said she would never approve expanding the landfill, but agreed that the town and Casella should be collaborating on ways to optimize the existing footprint.